To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): District Attorney’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jill Ravitch 565-3068, Marsha Lucien 565-8257 Shane Lewis 565-3150
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Secretary for the Family Justice Center Sonoma County (FJCSC) Allocation Change
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a resolution amending the Department Allocation list increasing the FJCSC Secretary from 0.75 to 1.0 full-time equivalent.
B) Adopt a resolution authorizing adjustments to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Adopted Budget to provide additional appropriations of $46,109 to increase the part-time 0.75 Secretary to 1.0 Secretary full-time equivalent to the District Attorney Family Justice Center Special Revenue Fund, fully reimbursed by ongoing state Proposition 172 Public Safety funds. (4/5th Vote Required)
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Executive Summary:
This item requests authorization to increase the Family Justice Center Sonoma County Secretary position from 0.75 to 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) in order to provide additional needed support to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child/elder abuse, dating violence, and stalking in Sonoma County. The secretary will help ensure that victims have pertinent information and are referred to appropriate resources.
Discussion:
The District Attorney’s Office requests to increase the Family Justice Center Sonoma County Secretary from 0.75 to 1.0 FTE.
The Family Justice Center Sonoma County empowers victims of family violence to live free from violence and abuse by providing comprehensive services centered on and around the victim through a single point of access. Building on strong interagency collaboration, the FJCSC protects the vulnerable, stops the violence, and restores hope. The secretary is the first point of contact for victims and ensures they are supported and directed to the appropriate resources. The current part-time position is not sufficient to meet the needs of our community.
Since opening its doors in 2011, the FJCSC has served over 14,000 victims of family and community violence, including over 2,000 victims in 2021 alone. During the past five years, the FJCSC has served an average of 2,000 victims per year.
The last two years have proven to be the most ominous in modern history for Sonoma County. Not only have local residents been battling the unique challenges of the pandemic, but the community has continued to be devastated by wildfires. The combination of calamities has created the perfect environment for cases of abuse to rise.
The increased isolation of FJCSC clients and decreased community resources has resulted in an escalation in incidents of abuse. Moreover, it became clear that the pre-existing victimizations that individuals faced were exacerbated by the trauma and uncertainty that followed in the wake of catastrophic fires and the continued obscurity of the pandemic. Many in the community were already experiencing housing insecurity due to a lack of affordable housing in the county, and the stress and insecurity only became more tenuous, increasing FJCSC clients by 30%. Coinciding with the increased number of clients is the increase in severity of victimization. The combined crises of COVID-19 and wildfires have increased the number of severe domestic violence incidents. As a result, current staffing has been over-extended relative to victims seeking assistance from the FJCSC.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$46,109 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
$46,109 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The estimated annual cost increase of $46,109 will be financed by increasing the County’s annual contribution to the FJC, via the District Attorney budget, from $422,156 (General Fund plus Graton Tribal) to $468,265 (increase supported with state Proposition 172 portion of the county’s allocation assigned to support DA services). This allocation change will not increase the Department’s General Fund contribution.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Secretary |
$4,226.42-$5,139.53 |
0.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
A full-time Secretary will ensure that staff is available to assist victims during the operating hours at the FJCSC and that victims are supported and directed to the appropriate resources.
Attachments:
1. Position Resolution
2. Budget Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A